comment: Letter to the Editor

With the opening to competition of Scotland's £340million non-domestic water market on April 1, we should spare a thought for the charities and churches who, after 2010, will lose their current exemption from paying water charges.

With the opening to competition of Scotland's £340million non-domestic water market on April 1, we should spare a thought for the charities and churches who, after 2010, will lose their current exemption from paying water charges.

This simply is not right, and I want to see the Scottish Government put a stop to this by continuing exemptions and reliefs on water and sewerage charges for these bodies.

There can surely be no greater contribution to our society than the vital support provided by charities and churches. Why then would the Government want to put the services provided by them at risk by seeking to end this exemption?

But this will be the reality under proposals to abolish exemptions and reliefs for water and sewerage charges from 2010 and that charities and churches across Scotland will be treated like businesses and face the additional burden of having to pay the full amount of non-domestic water charges.

While the opening of the water market to competition on April 1 may provide a good deal for the business community, the proposal to end water charge exemptions is a cruel joke to play.

Rev Jock Stein Tulliallan and Kincardine Manse by Alloa

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